Wrench



B. FRASER July 22, 1930.

WRENCH Filed March 14, 1929 INVENTOR BERNARD FRASER BY if Md Lg ATTORNEYS Patented 22, 1930 UNITED STATES BERNARD FRASER, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA WRENCH Application filed larch 14, 1929. Serial No. 347,134.

My invention relates to improvements in wrenches, the objects of which are to provide means whereby the jaws of the wrench are brought into intimate contact with opposmg sides of the nut to be turned, so that the burring of its edges is prevented; to provide for an instantaneous adjustment of the aws to a nut and to provide means whereby the wrench may be slipped from one pair of nut faces to another, whereby a function is performed similar to that obtainable with a wrench fitted with a ratchet mechanism.

Invention consists essentially of a handle having a pivotally mounted jaw to which a slidably arranged jaw is fitted, and means for locking the sliding jaw in juxtaposition to the pivotally mounted jaw, as Will be more fully described in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the wrench, shown in position to be adjusted about a nut or bolt head, with a portion broken away.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken ,on the line 22 of Figure 1.

*Fig. 3 is a side view of the wrench, with a portion broken away to show the manner of locking the jaws against opening when 1n use.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral 1 indicates generally a jaw having a work contacting face 2 and which is divided along its lower portion to form a pair of plates or cheeks 3 between which a slot 4 is defined.

At the upper extremity of the slot 4 and extending lnwards from each plate 3 is a horizontal tongue 5 which forms a pair of guides for the sliding jaw to be hereinafter described. A semi-circular groove 6 is formed in one of the plates 3, which is adapted to form part of a housing for a tension spring 7 having an anchorage 'at one end upon a pin 8 extending inwardly from the plate at the base of the groove 6.

The numeral 9 indicates a sliding jaw which is provided with a horizontal member or slide 10, the slide 10 is grooved on opposite sides as at 11 to engage the tongues 5 upon the plates 3 and is provided with a semicircular recess 12 extending throughout the major portion of its length. A pin 13 is fitted to the slide adjacent one end of the recess 12 which forms an anchorage for the opposite end of the spring 7 so that the tension of spring will tend to draw the jaws 1 and 9 together. The lower edge of the slide 10 is provided with a toothed rack 14;.

Pivotally mounted between the plates 3 upon a pin 15 is a handle 16 having at its upper end a toothed rack 17 which is substantially at right angles to the handle and extends tangentially from the pin 15 in such degree as will permit its teeth to he unw withdrawn from the teeth of the rack 14 or to be moved into positive engagement therewith by moving the handle 16 in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction respectively.

A portion of the lower peripheral edges of the plates 3 is cut away to form a pair of substantially V-shaped stops 18 the sides of which are adapted to be engaged by a pin 19 grlrtepling beyond the side faces of the han- Having thus described the several parts of my invention I will now briefly explain its use.

To adjust the wrench to a nut the wrench is gripped adjacent its. jaws and the projecting end of the slide 10 is pressed against the spring tension while the handle is in the position shown in Figure 1, with the teeth of the racks 14. and 17 disengaged, this action thrusts the jaws 1 and 9 apart so that the desired nut or other work can be enclosed therein. As soon as the pressure applied to the end of the slide is removed, the jaws will be drawn together by the spring 7 and as the head of the wrench, or both jaws, are rockingly mounted about the handle, the spring tension will cause the jaws to close with their contacting faces exactly parallel to the faces of the nut. Subsequent to the closing of the jaws about the nut the handle is drawn in an anti-clockwise direction which causes the teeth of the rack 14 to engage those of the rack 17, to lock the slide 10 and the jaw 9 against movement from the nut face. The

spacing and osition of the teeth of the racks will preferal'ily be arranged so as to allow an almost complete engagement of said teeth when standard sized nuts or bolt heads are gripped, such engagement allowing a slight clearance so that the ull on the handle will tend to thrust the s lding jaw 9 towards the pivotally mounted jaw 1 and effect a firm grip on the nut. If when turning a nut about a bolt, the turning effort is greater than the tension of the spring 7, the handle can be swung in a clockwise direction after each pull and the tension of the spring will be overcome to such an extent as to allow the jaws to separate and move from one pair of nut faces to the adjoining ones, so that the wrench may function as one of the ratchet type.

What I claim as my invention is:

A wrench comprising a head having a handle pivotally connected thereto, said head consisting of a stationary jaw and a normally slidable jaw manually operable to move it away from the stationary jaw, said slidable jaw being spring-tensioned so as to be normally moved towards the said jaw, and handle actuated means for locking the movable jaw in adjusted position with respect to the stationary jaw as the handle is moved about its pivot in one direction and for exerting a thrust on said movable jaw tending to move it towards the stationary aw during the continued movement of the handle in the same direction, said jaw locking and thrust exerting means operating to separate the said jaws against the tension of the spring upon the movement of the handle in a reverse direction. Dated at Vancouver, B. C., this 4th day of March, 1929.

BERNARD FRASER. 

